Assembly Tutorial - Let's Put This Kit Together

The time has come to put this kit together. Before doing so make sure the sealant/glue is completely dried in the head. Can't be wet or tacky. 

Here we go -

Supplies needed to assemble your kit: body, funnel, plugs and neck ring, glass beads, scale, panty hose or knee highs, poly fiber fill and your kit.

We are going to fill the limbs with the glass beads. I was able to purchase on Ebay 25lbs of high quality glass beads. Bountiful Baby sells them by the pound. Usually 4-5 pounds of glass beads are needed for a newborn size kit. Less for a preemie kit.

I use a funnel to pour my beads into the limbs.

I fill the limbs 3/4 full. So on this kit to the elbow bend will be filled with glass beads. Make sure to gently tap the limb to get the beads down into the fingers.

Here is one limb filled with beads.

Now we will fill the remaining space with poly fiber fill.

Don't fill too tight. 

Now for the plug. I sometimes use plugs or if plug sizes I need are not available. I will use felt and cut a circle and glue the felt over the hole of the limbs. Either way is fine.

Push the plug down. Should be a tight fit. If not apply glue under the plug and let dry for a good seal.

These are fitting nice and snug so I won't need to apply glue.

Both little arms have been filled with glass beads, fiber fill and are sealed.

For the legs, you do the same as for the arms. I fill 3/4 full with glass beads. Here I am pointing to where you should fill the glass beads to.

Make sure to tap the limb gently to get the beads into the foot and toes. I have filled the remaining space with fiber fill. Again, don't stuff too tight.

Legs are filled and plugs have been inserted. 

Now for the body. I am weighing my glass beads for body weight.

I am going to use a pound and a half for the body. I use less for a smaller sized kit.

The special body. I am using a full leg body here. This body has tie strings instead of the cable ties. A little harder to use but I find the strings are much nicer than the cable ties. Softer and don't poke like the cable ties do. Personal choice on bodies. String tie or cable tie. 

To tell the front from the back - The ties go in the back.

Legs are inserted into the body.

Tie the ties tight but not so tight that the leg can't be rotated. 

One leg tied in.

Both legs inserted and tied.

Let's begin filling the body.

I fill about half way up the body. We will stop there, now we are going to add the weight.

You will need your panty hose or knee high. If you are using panty hose, cut at the knee of the hose. Your pound and a half glass beads and funnel.

Insert the funnel into the top of your hose/knee high.

Begin pouring your glass beads.

Glass beads poured.

Tie a knot

Take your little pouch of glass beads and set on top of the fiberfill in the body. 

Time to insert the arms. This body is not a full arm body so it has caps. Tanner has 3/4 limbs. 

I take a little fiberfill and stuff the arm caps lightly. 

Tie your arms in the same fashion as you did the legs.

Don't tie to tight. You want to be able to rotate the arms.

One arm done.

Second arm tied in.

Both arms done.

Now finish the body. Stuff all around the bag of beads and up to the neck. You want the body soft and cuddly not super tight with fiber fill. I put more in the tummy area than the bottom. Some babies have more of a tummy than bottom. Again your choice on filling.

Stuffed up to the neck. See the tummy.

Now we are going to put weight into the head. I am going to put about a pound of beads into the head. 

Glass beads measured out.

Another knee high and my one pound of beads. I start out with a pound but could go less. I judge by holding the head. You don't want to get to heavy on any of the limbs or head. The body string ties my not support a lot of weight. I have gotten my head a little too heavy in the past and when the baby is picked up the head falls off. Don't need that happening. 

Insert the knee high into the head and fold the top around the edge of the head.

Use the funnel and start pouring in the beads. Again check on weight. You may not need the whole pound.

When you are satisfied with the weight pull the knee high up and tie a knot. I ended up going less in beads. I used approx. 3/4 of a pound of beads.

Knot tied and now we are going to place the bag of beads towards the back of the head. That is where you want the weight.

Now fill the rest of the head with fiber fill. Don't stuff real tight. Doing so will distort the head. 

Now for the neck ring. This enables the head to turn and position.

This goes around the flange. The grooved part. This is going to be a super tight fit. Go slow and maneuver the vinyl of the flange into the ring. 

Because my little head warped some during the baking process you can see it is a little off. That is ok. But it was a super tight fit.

Put in the neck plug. Should be a tight fit as well. If not apply glue and let dry.

Perfect tight fit. No glue was needed. 

I make another small bag of beads.

I put this little bag on top of the fiber fill at the neck. This gives some weight in the shoulder area, to give the floppiness of a baby's head and shoulder area. I didn't weigh the exact amount. Probably about 1/2 a pound or less.

Put the head on and tie the strings. Not too tight, want to be able to rotate the head. You may need another helping hand with this part. I usually do. Here is Tanner completely assembled. Now for the strings...

When I am happy with how the baby feels in weight and stuffing, I will cut the excess strings. I then will carefully apply a couple drops of super glue to each knot. Allow to dry. Done! 

Time to Dress and Photo Shoot Tanner.

I hope you have found these tutorials to be helpful. Any questions about any of the tutorials, Ask Away!!!

I am off to photo shoot this little guy!

Happy Reborning! :0)